THE CHURCH OF NORTH INDIA (CNI): SYNODICAL BOARD OF SOCIAL SERVICES (SBSS) - LET MY PEOPLE GO
The Synodical Board of Social Services (SBSS) is the development and justice board of the Church of North India. The ‘Let My People Go’ programme was established by the SBSS to combat the systemic injustices from which marginalised communities in India suffer. USPG has been supporting Let My People Go since 2015.
Let my People Go addresses issues of caste, gender and poverty faced by Dalits and Adivasis in 45 villages and 3 districts in 3 states in North India. The project targets specific issues of deprivation in income inequality, education and health these communities face, whilst addressing those core issues of caste, gender and poverty.
It focuses on the following areas: facilitating education; accessing clean water and sanitation; mother and child healthcare; income generation and engaging the Church in community development.
In 2019, Let My People Go launched a national campaign to create ideal schools in rural areas. Some 12,000 people from 78 villages participated in the campaign, including 5,500 children. Children’s clubs were formed and children's libraries set up. Some 1,804 households received training on environmental issues such as waste disposal. In the city of Barrakpore in West Bengal, the programme has helped provide drinking water and sanitation for communities living in poverty.
Let My People Go works alongside self-help groups in Barrakpore and Amristar and has launched a collective farming initiative in Chota Nagpur. It campaigns for forest rights for tribal communities and runs issue-based workshops to strengthen communities and empower them to address local issues.
